Director Peter Hyams had experience in Sci-Fi with Capricorn One (1977) and Outland (1981) but bravely took on the unenviable task of following in Stanley Kubrick’s cinematic footsteps. Hyam asked for and received Kubrick’s blessing to direct the sequel…”Don’t be afraid. Just go do your own movie.”

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Hyams and Clarke wrote the script in 1983 on different continents using cutting edge e-mail, Kaypro II computers and dial-up modems.

Shot in 71 days, the special effects included extensive spacecraft models and early CGI all captured with 65mm film.

The original Discovery One 50-foot model from “2001” was destroyed by Kubrick and he kept the original model designs under lock and key. Entertainment Effects Group (EEG) led by Richard Edlund used a 70mm copy of “2001” to analyze, copy and create a new Discovery One model.